Microsoft's flagship integrated development environment (IDE), Visual Studio, is poised for a significant transformation with the upcoming release of Visual Studio 18. This major upgrade, as reported by Business Insider, is expected to be "packed with AI features," signaling a strategic shift to integrate artificial intelligence deeply into the software development process.
The current version, Visual Studio 2022 (internally referred to as Visual Studio 17), was released in 2021. Since then, the development landscape has evolved rapidly, with AI-driven tools gaining prominence. Microsoft's internal communications, particularly an email from Jay Parikh, Executive Vice President of CoreAI Platform and Tools, indicate that Visual Studio 18 is in the "early dogfooding" stage—a phase where employees test the product internally to identify issues and gather feedback. (businessinsider.nl)
The emphasis on AI is not entirely new for Visual Studio. The current version already incorporates AI capabilities, such as GitHub Copilot for AI pair programming and inline assistance. However, the forthcoming release aims to elevate these features, potentially introducing more advanced AI-driven functionalities to enhance developer productivity and code quality. (infoq.com)
This strategic move aligns with Microsoft's broader vision of embedding AI across its product suite. Julia Liuson, President of Microsoft's Developer Division, emphasized the importance of AI integration, stating that "using AI is no longer optional" and highlighting that AI utilization will influence employee performance evaluations. (thurrott.com)
The competitive landscape further underscores the urgency of this upgrade. Rival platforms like Cursor and Replit have been gaining traction with their AI-centric development tools. By enhancing Visual Studio with robust AI features, Microsoft aims to maintain its leadership in the developer tools market and offer compelling value to its user base. (businessinsider.nl)
While specific details about Visual Studio 18's features and release timeline remain limited, the internal momentum and strategic focus on AI suggest that developers can anticipate a more intelligent and efficient coding environment in the near future.
Source: Thurrott.com Report: Visual Studio 18 to Be a Major Upgrade
